Solar Noon: Complete Guide
Solar noon is the moment when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky for the day. At solar noon, shadows are at their shortest and the sun is at its most intense. Despite what the name suggests, solar noon rarely occurs at 12:00 clock time, due to timezone boundaries and the equation of time.
City Comparison: Today's Times
| City | Country | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Solar Noon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi | India | 06:42 | 18:25 | 11h 42m | 12:33 |
| Chongqing | China | 07:13 | 18:56 | 11h 43m | 13:04 |
| Shanghai | China | 06:16 | 17:57 | 11h 41m | 12:06 |
| Dhaka | Bangladesh | 06:17 | 18:04 | 11h 47m | 12:11 |
| Mexico City | Mexico | 06:53 | 18:44 | 11h 51m | 12:49 |
| Beijing | China | 06:40 | 18:13 | 11h 32m | 12:26 |
| Cairo | Egypt | 06:17 | 17:58 | 11h 41m | 12:07 |
| Mumbai | India | 06:55 | 18:46 | 11h 51m | 12:51 |
| Guangzhou | China | 06:45 | 18:33 | 11h 49m | 12:39 |
| Karachi | Pakistan | 06:51 | 18:37 | 11h 46m | 12:44 |
| Istanbul | Turkey | 07:32 | 19:01 | 11h 29m | 13:16 |
| Lagos | Nigeria | 06:58 | 19:00 | 12h 01m | 12:59 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is solar noon?
- Solar noon is the moment when the sun reaches its highest elevation angle above the horizon for the day. It marks the transition from morning to afternoon in astronomical terms. At solar noon, the sun is due south (in the northern hemisphere) or due north (in the southern hemisphere).
- Why is solar noon not at 12:00?
- Solar noon differs from clock noon for two reasons: timezone boundaries (a single timezone can span 15 or more degrees of longitude) and the equation of time (Earth's elliptical orbit causes small variations in solar day length throughout the year).
- Is solar noon the hottest time of day?
- No. Solar noon is when the sun is most intense, but the hottest part of the day is typically 2 to 3 hours later. This lag occurs because Earth continues warming after solar noon until heat loss exceeds solar gain.